Gazelle Ultimate T10

[PHXRDR]

Gazelle Ultimate T10 High Step 2022
This bike gets ridden. Alot!
Two year report: 11,500 miles.
Environment: Phoenix AZ USA (pre-dawn in summer). Paved and gravel canal paths and city streets.
Riding style: Aggressive (for 72 yo), inner city, 65 avg cadence, 114 HR, 2,500 ft ascent/week, 14 mph avg speed. Frequent shifting and full use of various boost depending on terrain and wind. Base ride in Touring mode.
Maintenance and care: Garaged inside apartment, currently on 5th chain (KMC e10 2.5 to 3.0 K each) which is wiped every 50 and lubed (ProLink) every 100 miles, all other is inspection and minor adjustment. Self performed (and well equipped) maintenance.
Service: Like new functionality in all components.
Battery: Charged following every use. Full charge in ECO mode still shows 110 avg range and dropping one bar on Purion Control is at 15 to 20 miles.
Upgrades: Marathon E Plus, pedals DMR V11, Miranda Chainflow 3D 38t ring and 104 bcd spider, rear rotor to 180 mm, saddle and grips to Ergon SC Core and GC1.
With traditional triangle frame and Bosch system it is an incredibly rigid bike that handles like a BMW.
Nothing rides like a Gazelle Ultimate T10!

 

[PHXRDR]

Update - now at 15,000 miles.
On 7th chain. Upgraded (yes, it is an upgrade) to Intuvia. I have a second battery that I rotate every other day, although original battery is functioning as new.
Wonderful bike.

 

[JoeDirt]

That's a awesome to hear that. I'm not quite there yet but I will say my ultimate T10 Plus in eco mode will only give me around 65 miles if I want to cruise around like an Undertaker! I generally use Eco to go out distance and monitor my battery level then coming home I will Wick it up in tour and Sport. You are right about the chains I do see somewhere on mine just at 750 miles. I am learning how to take it easy on these chains by shifting accordingly so I pretty sure I'll get about 2k out of this chain. We'll see. Congrats on the 15K that's awesome.

 

[Viking1]

Great to hear of the service you are getting from your steed!
a wonderful bike indeed.

 

[PHXRDR]

Update - now at 15,000 miles.
On 7th chain. Upgraded (yes, it is an upgrade) to Intuvia. I have a second battery that I rotate every other day, although original battery is functioning as new.
Wonderful bike.

Update - now at 17,000 miles.
On 8th chain. As mentioned elsewhere, I've gone over to the Connex Wipperman 10se, leaving KMC behind. The performance (shifting) is not markedly improved but the fit and finish of the CW is superior to others.
With the KMC e10, I'd guage the chain at 0.15mm at installation. The CW wouldn't even allow the guage to fit between links at install and shows 0.03mm of wear after 400 miles. An omen to its longevity?

 

[PHXRDR]

Update - now at 17,000 miles.
On 8th chain. As mentioned elsewhere, I've gone over to the Connex Wipperman 10se, leaving KMC behind. The performance (shifting) is not markedly improved but the fit and finish of the CW is superior to others.
With the KMC e10, I'd guage the chain at 0.15mm at installation. The CW wouldn't even allow the guage to fit between links at install and shows 0.03mm of wear after 400 miles. An omen to its longevity?

I failed to mention that (about 800 miles ago) I replaced the stock monoshock fork with a SR Suntour NEXe25. The result was much more steering response and better ride in the rough. To my mind, changing the characteristics of the bike from trekking to sport.
An occasional 're-invention' doesn't hurt.

 

[Chazmo]

Wow, you’re racking up miles big time, @PHXRDR !! Keep it up.

Is it typical to use up so many chains? I’ve never ridden a mid-drive, so I’m asking from a position of enormous ignorance.

 

[PHXRDR]

Wow, you’re racking up miles big time, @PHXRDR !! Keep it up.

Is it typical to use up so many chains? I’ve never ridden a mid-drive, so I’m asking from a position of enormous ignorance.

Re: Chains
I do admit to being slightly overboard on chain replacement, but (to my mind) not unreasonable.
For example, if most chain checkers say to replace at .8%, I do so at .6%.
As mentioned elsewhere, I would get up to 3,000 miles on a European (website purchased) e10 but as low as 1,700 on a US purchased (directly from KMC in Cal). When riding this much, it appears to be a fair proving ground for chains.
I asked KMC once, as I neared 3,000 mi (but still under 0.5%) if 3,000 was 'pushing it'. Of course they said yes, suggesting not to exceed 3K, but that's alot on a mid drive chain, and I believe them.
It must be said that I monitor my chainring and cassette as closely as chains. Although I've fooled with changing gears, they did not need to be changed. In my experience (and I'm only speaking for myself here) gears appear to go well in excess of 10,000 miles when you keep an eye on the chain.
This on my Gazelle that sees, not only miles but fairly hard elevation as well. I mean, in 30 months this bike has accumulated 350,000 feet of elevation!
Anal? Sure you bet! But somebody's got to do it.
It has been suggested (in these pages) that any old chain will work as well. I'd welcome honest, detailed, data to verify that.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Is it typical to use up so many chains? I’ve never ridden a mid-drive, so I’m asking from a position of enormous ignorance.

While you stretch the chain with your own leg power only on a hub-drive, it is your legs plus the enormous power of the mid-drive to stress the chain. Therefore, the mid-drive chain lives a shorter life.

Now, there are three different approaches:

• In case the cassette is relatively inexpensive, you only maintain the chain and ride until the chain is heavily stretched and the small cassette cogs are worn (that is, the chain is skipping on the cassette). Then you replace the cassette, chain, and perhaps the chainring (although these have a long life).
• If the cassette is expensive but serviceable, you may allow a stretched chain damage the smallest sprockets, and eventually replace the chain and the worn small sprockets on the cassette.
• Or, you do it properly, measure the chain stretch with a good chain checker (such as Park Tool CC-2) and replace the chain when:
  • The chain stretch has exceeded 0.75% for 5-10 speed drivetrains
  • Or it is 0.5% for 11-12 speed drivetrains.

The latest technique costs new chains but the cassette can easily survive several chain replacements. It is especially recommended for expensive 11 or 12 speed cassettes. Now, my experience is a good and well maintained 11-speed chain can last for 2,000 miles on a full power mid-drive. Some people say hot waxing a chain can increase its longevity (no personal experience).

 

[stompandgo]

On my "analog" racing bikes, chains (KMC 11sp) were cheap, cassettes (Ultegra 11sp) were affordable, but chainrings (Dura-Ace 11sp) were expensive. I'd replace the chain at 0.75. I could usually tell that it was time when shifting mid-cassette would get a little sloppy, which was when I could start to slide the 0.75 tang into the chain.

On the Tesoro, chains (KMC 12sp) are affordable, cassettes (Deore 12sp) are expensive, and chainrings (FSA 46T Bosch) are affordable. Nothing is cheap, although I just missed a sale on KMC 12sp silver at $16 each. I gotta keep my eyes open for that.

I have the old Park CC-3 0.75-1.0 chain checker. I'll have to update that soon. The shop that did the dual battery work snapped my original chain while doing the installation (the tech still has all of their fingers), so they comped me a KMC e12.